MIKAKO KOMATSU: 冷たい部屋、一人 [Tsumetai Heya, Hitori]

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Mikako Komatsu's latest single, "冷たい部屋、一人" (Google translation: "Cold Room, One Person"), starts off sounding like film score and that shouldn't be surprising because it's the ending theme of the anime series entitled K. You could argue that it sounds a bit too much like a theme song from a Disney movie, but I found it fairly charming for precisely that reason. Let's face it -- Disney songs are always kind of inspiring, even when they're cheesy. In this case, you definitely have the uplifting vibe, but it's really not all that cheesy. The orchestration is lush and sophisticated, not sounding overly dramatic. And Mikako's vocals are soft and sweet -- like a breath of fresh air -- without sounding corny. Ultimately, it's a tender, emotive ballad that would work especially well on a mix of music that you listen to at night while falling asleep. (I'm not saying that the song is sleep-inducing or boring, just that it's perfectly mellow, night-time music.)

The B-side, "夏至の果実" (Google: "Fruit Of The Summer Solstice"), is a nice mix of pop and rock with blazing guitars, a tight rhythm section and hooks that emerge quickly. It's bursting with energy and Mikako sounds just as much at home singing this as she does singing ballads. This song especially reminds me of Ayumi Hamasaki's pop rock songs. Mikako's voice has a similar tone and she hits those high notes just as effortlessly and sounds wonderful doing so. It's ultimately exhilarating and inspired. -Michael McCarthy

This single also contains instrumental versions of both tracks.

Labels and artists interested in being featured here may contact Michael McCarthy at cinema365@gmail.com. Follow Michael on Twitter https://twitter.com/paris365.